Course Description

Technical communicators have established their own research methods for use in software design, in the production of training materials, in the creation, use, and testing of educational activities, and so forth. This course will serve as a critical overview to these methods. In this course, we will examine these methods in terms of: theoretical bases; data collection and analysis; and design work. For each method, students will design and critique research questions/problem statements and research instruments. Each student will create an annotated bibliography concerning an aspect of these methods. Using one of these methods, each student will conduct a small-scale study and report findings. Students will also lead a class discussion concerning an issue associated with field methods in TCR.

At the end of this course, students should have a theoretical understanding of the assumptions behind each method and, therefore, a grounding in how to choose the proper method for a given set of concerns and environment. Students should be able to articulate reasons for selecting a field method and should be able to conduct and direct studies using any of the methods covered.

Objectives

This course will help you accomplish the following things:

• Develop an understanding of field methods used in technical communication
• Develop an understanding of key concepts related to user-centered design
• Write responses to readings on field methods
• Explore one aspect of user-centered design
• Complete a Human Subjects Form
• Conduct a small-scale research project based on one of the methods

Texts

Required

Greenbaum, Joan, and Morten Kyng.  Design at Work:  Cooperative Design of Computer Systems.  Lawrence Earlbaum Associates, 1991.

Spinuzzi, Clay.  Tracing Genres Through Organizations:  A Sociocultural Approach to Information Design. MIT Press, 2003.

Coursepack available online

 

Suggested

 

Beyer, Hugh, and Karen Holtzblatt.  Contextual Design:  Defining Customer-Centered Systems. Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, 1998.

Kuniavsky, Mike.  Observing the User Experience:  A Practitioner's Guide to User Research.  Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, 2003.

Assignments

Students will complete the following assignments:

Attendance and Tardiness

Since this is a workshop course, your attendance is expected.  If you have a good reason for missing class (I get to determine what a good reason is), we need to make arrangements ahead of time.  For a graduate course, "attendance" means a lot more than showing up to class.  It means bringing homework and examples when they're due.  It means participating in workgroup activities, electronic and physical.  It also means coming to class having read the materials and being ready to be called upon to lead discussion on the topic of the day. 

Required University Statements of Policy

Special Circumstances. Any student who, because of a disabling condition, may require some special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact the instructor as soon as possible so that the necessary accommodations can be made.

Human Dignity. This class, as the university itself, "is committed to equitable, civilized, and concerned treatment for all individuals without regard for age, race, gender, creed, disability, or national origin." At all times you should keep in mind the three tenets to which the university subscribes:

(1) Each person has worth and dignity,

(2) Bigotry cannot be tolerated, and

(3) Students are responsible for their own lives.

Academic Integrity

This course (and, indeed, all the graduate courses in the technical communication program) assumes and expects complete honesty and the highest standard of integrity.  Any attempt to present as your own any work not honestly performed will be regarded by the faculty and administration as a most serious offense.